California myotis (Myotis californicus)*; found throughout the state, excluding the Columbia basin. Western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum); found in the Cascade Mountains Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)*; found throughout the state Little brown myotis (Myotis licifugus) Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes); found in the Coast Range and Wallowas Long legged myotis (Myotis volans): found Blue Mountain, Coast Range, Cascades, Klamath Mountains Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis)*; found throughout the state

Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)*; found in scattered locations west of the Cascade Mountains and in some montane forest east of the Cascades. Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)*; found throughout most of the state, except Columbia Basin. Canyon bat (Parastrellus hesperus); found in eastern Oregon. Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)*; found throughout the state Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum); found in eastern Oregon Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)*; found throughout most of the state. Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus); found in arid areas of southwestern and and eastern Oregon. Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis); found in southern Oregon

* Bats found in the Willamette Valley

Helpful Websites:

Bat Conservation International (Very best source on everything bats): batcon.org

BEE NOTESPollinator Happenings in the Willamette Valleyfrom the Linn County Master GardenersThank you for subscribing to Bee Notes, we hope you find this information timely and helpful to encourage more pollinators in your garden. Feel free to forward Bee Notes to anyone who may be interested. They can click the "subscribe" button below.

BEE NOTES - ALL COCOONS OUT NOW! April 9, 2018 We are sold out. There are no more mason bee cocoons available through Linn County Master Gardeners. THANK YOU for supporting our association and the mason bee. ALL MASON BEE COCOONS SHOULD BE OUT ASAP!! DO IT TODAY IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED PUTTING OUT YOUR COCOONS!

To answer a question that others may have: What do you mean that we "fear the bees have used so much of their reserves"? The refrigeration of the mason bees has helped them slow down the rate of energy they used to stay alive over the winter. After many months the bees have used a great deal of that stored energy. The longer we waited to put out our cocoons the more likely the bees will lack energy to survive. With the right temperatures we really try to get the cocoons out starting about mid March and get them out as soon as the weather permits to help insure they still have a good energy supply. This year has been a tough one weather wise.

Note from yesterday: Rich says he is seeing problems in numerous locations. He fears the bees have used up so much of their reserves that they are in trouble. This might be a repeat of last year but maybe worse. Rich is losing a lot of bees right now. He is watching them closely. If you are having issues, know that you are not alone this year. We can hope things will improve. This is why it is so important that we help as much as we can. The longer we have waited to put out the cocoons, the more

Remember: They need plants, shrubs and trees that provide pollen and nectar. They need MUD and water. Their life cycle ends at the beginning of June.

HAVE FUN WATCHING YOUR MASON BEES AND ALL THE OTHER BEES IN YOUR YARD!

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need more supplies. Ranee at RaneeWebb66@gmail.com orRich at sweethomerich@comcast.net

New topics - leaf cutter bees and bumble bees are expected to be the focus for the 5th conference. A full day of wonderful speakers, vendors, and citizens who are concerned about the plight of our pollinators! REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN JANUARY 2019

It is now time to put your blocks and tubes with liners in your Mason Bee House - just the blocks and/or tubes with liners in the house for now.

There may be some mason bees out there in the wild looking for a home.

Reminder: Don’t forget to tape the back on the block. Mason Bees like to go into dark holes. If you have lost your back, you can put layers of foil tape used to seal heating vent/piping on the back of the block.BUT WAIT DO NOT PUT COCOONS OUT YET!

WHEN DO I PUT OUT COCOONS?

Watch the weather! Look for several days with 50-55 degree temps and no heavy rains in the forecast before putting out your cocoons. That is usually late-March- mid April. All cocoons should be out no later than April 15th.

Put out 1/2- 1/3 of your cocoons at a time. Put out a minimum of 25 cocoons each time. You should have a mix of small cocoons (males) and larger cocoons (females). If you have more than 75 cocoons you can put out 1/3 at a time. NOTE: Do not fill the emergence tube more than half full.

While still watching the weather - Wait a week or two before putting out the next batch. We are hedging our bets on weather and looking for success.

On your trip home, keep the cocoons cool. DO NOT put by a heater vent and keep your car interior cool. IF you have a trip longer than 30 minutes, put the cocoons in a cooler or devise a way to keep them cool. Be aware that subjecting them to extreme temperature fluctuations can cause them to start to emerge before you are ready to put them outside. Cold storage helps increase survival of the bees that emerge in the spring. Even though the bees in the cocoons are dormant, they are alive, and respiring, which uses energy. The cold storage helps the dormant bees use their stored energy at a slower rate than those over-wintering at higher temperatures.

Keeping cocoons cold before putting them out Keep the cocoons in a refrigerator (vegetable bin- a “moist zone”) at 38-39° F and 60-70% humidity to ensure the bees remain dormant. Place a dry paper towel in a container and put the cocoons on the dry paper towel. Put a smaller container with a damp paper towel (not dripping wet) in the larger container (holes in the lid). This adds extra moisture. Check the paper towel weekly and moisten as necessary. IF the cocoons develop surface mold, wash, rinse and air dry them before returning them to the refrigerator. Only use 1 tsp to 1 gallon of water for one minute. (half the strength and time used in the initial cleaning). Dry the cocoons (do not use a hair dryer) and return the cocoons to the refrigerator until you put them out.

Putting out Cocoons. Watch the 7-10 day weather forecast. You are looking for temps of 50-55° for 3 or more days in a row with no heavy rain in the forecast to decide when to put our cocoons. Put out 1/3 or 1/2 of your cocoons in late March- mid April and the rest 1-2 weeks later. All cocoons should be out by the very first week of April.

Final steps during the year:June 1st- Take your blocks and/or tubes and put them in a paper sack or box. Close the bag or box and store it in your garage or a shed until you harvest the cocoons in mid Oct- early Nov

Take a cocoon cleaning class in mid Oct –early Nov. Registration for those classes will open in September for these classes. Register at www.LinnMasterGardeners.com

Use the OSU Extension publication “Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard in Western Oregon” EM9130 (page 5 for cleaning info) for a review and information about Mason Bees.

Mid to late Feb Put out Mason Bee blocks or tubes in your houses. (not the cocoons yet). Depending on the weather, Mason bees nesting houses, blocks and tubes can be put out in mid or late February, but by early March at the latest. A local population of Mason bees that did not emerge from your nesting system may be looking for “holes” to place their eggs.

Late March to Put 1/2 to 1/3 out your cocoons in late March and the rest 1-2 weeks later. Mid April (25 Minimum in each batch) The weather will determine when you put out the cocoons. Look for temps of 50-55° for 3 or more days in a row with no heavy rain forecast. All cocoons should be out no later than mid April. Do not fill the emergence tube more than half full. If your cocoons are in your refrigerator, where they should be they will be OK there while waiting for good bee weather. Another factor to consider- Are lots of flowers available now & for the next couple months?

June 1st Take Tubes or Blocks and place them inside a cardboard box. This is to protect the cocoons from a parasitoid wasp that feeds on the bees as well as to protect them from mice, earwigs, and ants. Place in a warm, but not hot location, so the bees are warm enough to complete their development. (ie, garage-but not hot top shelf or a closet)

October – March Store cocoons in your refrigerator. (In frost free refrigerators, add a small cup of water with a damp paper towel that acts as a wick near the cocoons to maintain humidity in the container).For more information check out the following Mason Bee publication: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9130

“Bee Notes” are periodic e-mails and reminders from "Linn County OSU Extension”about Mason Bees and other pollinators.

Mason Bee House Placement: Optimum height of bee house from ground is about 3-6 feet. Yes it can be higher.  It should be high enough to be above the splash zone, but don’t install it too high- you will want to watch the bees in action!  The bee house should be placed on a wall that receives morning sun, such as the South-East wall of your home. If you don’t have great morning sun, give them as much as you can, bees survive in the wild without this. Your bees just do better with it!  You also need to think where the afternoon sun is as you do not want the nesting box to be in direct sun in the afternoon, it will get too hot for the bees and may kill them.  The opening of the bee house should face away from prevailing winds and rain as much as possible: in order to keep the holes and liners dry.  Don’t place your house too far under a porch, as bees may not be able to find the house easily.  Don’t place the bee house over a pond or water source. Your bees haven’t taken swimming lessons, and many could drown.  Place the bee house away from your bird feeder, bees make tasty morsels. Have a water/mud supply nearby or put some clay soil with water in the area. Mason bees need mud to enclose their cocoons.

Mason bees are so-called, because they use mud in the construction of their nests, however, it is actually the common substitute name used to describe bees belonging to the genus ‘Osmia’ which are part of the family ‘megachilidae’. They are sometimes called Blue Orchard Bees.

Other info:

Female Mason Bee cocoons are laid in the holes first and then the male cocoons. Female Mason Bee cocoons are 3” or deeper in the holes.

Depending on the crop 1 (0ne) Mason Bee can pollinate as much as 75-200 Honey Bees. A mix of honey bees, bumble bees, and mason bees can increase the yield and quality of a crop.

Have plants that bloom for every season to help all pollinators. Keep in mind: Hybrids may not produce much nectar or pollen. Double flowering plants don’t allow easy access to nectar or pollen. Native plants are a great choice.

​All “Bee Notes” will come from “Linn County OSU Extension” (via Mail Chimp).You might want to watch your “junk” or “promotional” mail too.You always have the option to unsubscribe, but we hope that you will findthe information we send to be helpful and educational.

Learn how to make your yard a more friendly habitat for pollinators!A full day of wonderful speakers, vendors, and citizens who are concerned about the plight of our pollinators! REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN JANUARY 2018 Click here to purchase tickets or at various outlets in Albany. Locations to be announced in January.

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Oregon Master Gardeners

Established in 1976 to help Oregon State Extension Service serve the educational and informational needs of home gardeners around the state. MG's offer gardening classes, staff the help desk at the Linn County Extension Office, and answer garden questions at various events in the community including Farmers Markets. To contact Linn County Master Gardeners at 541-967-3871 or email linn.mg@oregonstate.edu